African Spicy Chickpea Dip
This is a really good appetizer which is like a hummus and can be served with crackers or pita chips. I put it in a pita pocket and toped it with red pepper slices, cucumber slices and kale. It was so yummy!
Serves 4 (Gluten Free) (Soy Free) (Quick & Easy)
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons of minced shallots
2 tablespoons of chopped jalapenos
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. In a food processor, add garbanzo beans, shallots, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger and process until well mixed. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, mustard, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and pepper and mix well. Stir lemon juice mixture into garbanzo bean mixture until well-combined. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Roasted Peppers and Mushrooms on Quinoa
This is a great simple recipe that I found over at She knows vegan Blog, I just love fresh basil and pine nuts. You can find hydroponic basil in the produce section in most grocery stores. Not sure how to cook quinoa? I have instructions below. Enjoy!
Sauteed peppers, red onions, and mushrooms turn quinoa into a colorful and delicious vegan dinner dish.
Roasted Peppers and Mushrooms on Quinoa
Serves 4
Ingredients:1-1/2 cups quinoa
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 2 large red bell peppers, seeded, sliced
- 1 red onion, halved, sliced
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
- Handful of toasted pine nuts
Directions:
- In a large pot, bring quinoa and broth to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add peppers, onion, and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until peppers are lightly charred.
- Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve quinoa topped with pepper mixture. Garnish with basil and pine nuts.
How To Cook Quinoa
What You Need
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa (any variety — white or golden, red, or black)
Olive oil (optional)
2 cups liquid, such as broth or water
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Olive oil (optional)
2 cups liquid, such as broth or water
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Tools
Fine mesh strainer
2-quart saucepan with lid
Spoon
2-quart saucepan with lid
Spoon
Instructions
1. Measure quinoa and liquid. Measure out 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups liquid.
2. Rinse the quinoa. Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer, and rinse thoroughly with cool water. Rub and swish the quinoa with your hand while rinsing, and rinse for at least 2 minutes under the running water. Drain.
Why rinse quinoa? Rinsing removes quinoa's natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste bitter or soapy. Although boxed quinoa is often pre-rinsed, it doesn't hurt to give the seeds an additional rinse at home. Some cookbooks suggest soaking the quinoa but, in our experience, this is unnecessary.
3. Dry and toast quinoa in saucepan. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the drained quinoa. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, letting the water evaporate.
4. Add liquid and bring to a boil. Stir in the liquid and the salt (if using) and bring to a rolling boil.
5. Lower heat and cook covered for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to the lowest setting. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Let stand covered for 5 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner. Let stand for 5 minutes, covered.
7. Fluff and eat! After 5 minutes, remove the lid, fluff the quinoa gently with a fork, and serve. (You should see tiny spirals (the germ) separating from and curling around the quinoa seeds.)
Additional Notes:
• One cup of dried quinoa yields about 3 cups cooked.
• Some people like to add olive oil, butter, salt, or pepper. Cooked quinoa can also be used as the basis for pilafs, salads, breakfast porridges, and more.
• One cup of dried quinoa yields about 3 cups cooked.
• Some people like to add olive oil, butter, salt, or pepper. Cooked quinoa can also be used as the basis for pilafs, salads, breakfast porridges, and more.
10 Tips for Eating Out as a Vegan
This past weekend we went to our local dancing with the stars. I had thought about calling ahead to see what they were serving. But I didn't! Well, when they started bringing out the food, first was the salad, everything in the salad was ok for me to eat. Next was the dinner... steak, chicken one small scoop of mashed potatoes and a few green beans! Needless to say I didn't eat much. I have had this problem before when I have gone to dinners or parties. I don't want to be one of those people that the host or hostess hates to have for dinner or feel like they have to accommodate me! So I started to do a little research and I found that the blog ohsheglows that I follow, had done a post on the problem that I was having. I hope this helps anyone with this same problem.
10 Tips for Eating Out as a Vegan
One of the most requested topics in my Vegan How To series is about eating out at restaurants as
a vegan. I can totally relate to your struggles with eating out. Even to this day, I find restaurant
experiences as a vegan can be very hit or miss depending on the restaurant/chef. The good news is that more and more restaurants are becoming sensitive to dietary restrictions and allergies, opening up new options on menus for those who need them. Plus, the more demand there is for something, the more change there will be in the future. I personally look forward to the day when vegan options on a menu are the norm, rather than scarce or uncommon. Oh yes, it will happen!
I’ve put together some of my tips and tricks that I’ve picked up over the past few years. I hope they’re
helpful for you. As always, I’d love to hear your own tips and experiences below!
1. Happy Cow Website
Searching the Happy Cow website is probably my best tip when you are looking for a veg-friendly restaurant in your area or when traveling. You simply type in your location and a list of veg-
friendly restaurants usually pop up. I use this website almost exclusively when I travel or just looking for new options in my own area (of course, asking you on Facebook is always helpful too!). There are also reviews and ratings, so you can read what others are saying about the restaurants. Many times people will write what dish they modified to be vegan or what the chef prepared for them on the spot.
2. Plan ahead and look up the restaurant menu online
Of course, it’s not always possible to eat somewhere that’s veg-friendly. Whether it’s a family gathering or a friend’s birthday, I attend my fair share of non-vegan restaurants. Before I go to a new restaurant I always scope out the menu online to see if there are any obvious vegan menu items. Hopefully, I can find a couple vegetarian menu items that can be veganized, but vegan options are often non-existent on many restaurant menus. If there are a couple vegetarian options or dishes that might easily modify to be vegan (such as removing chicken from a noodle stir fry), I will make a note of them.
3. Call restaurant for options
If there aren’t any obvious meal options on the menu, I will often call the restaurant and ask whether
they can accommodate a vegan. Don’t feel like you are being a pain in the ass because restaurants actually like to get a heads up whenever possible, or so I’ve been told. I’ve never been turned away (not surprisingly), but I have received my fair share of enthusiastic promises (“Oh yes we can makeanything you want!!”) only to get there and find out that the chef thinks a small plate of vegetables qualifies as a satisfying vegan dinner. It helps to be specific about what you would like. If there is a dish you have in mind (for example, a pizza or tofu stir-fry) don’t be afraid to ask if they can make it happen!
4. Ask if they have a vegetarian menu
Did you know that some restaurants have secret menus? What the heck! I discovered this only because my friend Heather told me that a local restaurant (Paradiso in Oakville) has a vegetarian menu. But guess what? They don’t even put the vegetarian menu on the table unless you ask for it. The horrors. I was so thankful that Heather told me about the menu because it has several vegetarian options and a delicious vegan option that I order every time I’m there (kinda obsessed with portobello steaks). I realize this isn’t the norm for restaurants to have separate menus, but it never hurts to ask and let them know that you’d love the option!
5. Get creative with sides
Sometimes vegetarian menu items can be made vegan quite easily by just replacing the butter for oil or
leaving off the cheese. If my options are limited I always ask if these swaps can be made. One thing I’ve done in the past is to order a few side dishes (asking them to hold the butter) to create a meal. A few sides of brown rice, beans, and veggies easily adds up to a balanced meal.
6. If you think options will be severely limited, eat beforehand
When I’ve done my research and suspect my options will be severely limited, I usually have a light meal beforehand to ensure that I don’t feel deprived at the restaurant. No big deal.
7. Seek out ethnic cuisines
Many cuisines have a lot of “naturally” vegan options or they can easily be modified. I absolutely love dining at Indian, Mexican, and Thai restaurants because they have so many options for me. Even dishes with cream can easily be made without impacting the overall flavour too much.
8. Try a fun beverage
Treat yourself to a fun non-alcoholic or alcoholic drink. Even if the food options are limited it will still feel
special to have a fun drink you normally wouldn’t have! [Side note: Barnivore is a good site for looking up vegan alcohol brands. Check out the apps too.]
9. Comment card or online review
As I was writing this, I asked myself…do restaurants even do comment cards these days? And then I realized, well, duh, people do online reviews! Silly me. Well, whether it’s a comment card or an online review, they are great ways to let your voice be heard. Feel free to ask for more vegan options – you can bet that most restaurant owners will be reading and taking note of common requests!
10. Don’t sweat it
I generally have low expectations when it comes to dining out at restaurants that aren’t veg-friendly, so I don’t let a less than stellar experience ruffle my feathers. Instead, I focus on the experience itself – the great company – and know that in the grand scheme of things it’s really not a big deal. Cheers to that.
What have your experiences been like eating out as a vegan?
Magical Burrito Mojado
I just love the magazine VegNews, it has great recipes and ideas in it. There is a restaurant in Syracuse that I love, that I have written about in the past. It is called Alto Cinco. They have great Vegan Burritos. I have been trying to copy the recipe but just haven't been able to do it till now. Alto Cinco puts rice in there's and this recipe uses Quinoa. This is no ordinary bean-and rice combo. Instead, this behemoth is filled with garlicky pinto beans and quinoa, then toped with not one but two sauces: a cocoa infused mole and chipotle-lime cashew cheese. It was so yummy you have to try it. If you are not vegan, you still need to try the cheese, it is so good!! Even my husband Mike who is not Vegan liked it.
Ingredients:
For The Filling:
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 can pinto beans semi mashed
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
3/4 tsp Salt
For The Mole Sauce:
2 cups tomato puree or crushed tomatos
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
For The Chipolte-Lime Cheese
Sauce
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 3 hours and drained
3/4 cup plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp minced onion
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove
1/8 tsp chipotle powder
To Assemble:
6 12" flour tortillas, warmed
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
3 avocados, sliced
1 cup diced tomatos
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 fresh Lime Wedges, For Garnish
Directions:
1. For the filling, in a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in beans, quinoa, jalapeno, and salt. Reduce heat low, cover and warm for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and keep covered.
2. For the mole sauce, in a small saucepan, whisk together all ingredients, then heat on low for 5 minutes and set aside.
3. For the chipotle-lime sauce, in a high speed blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and blend for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth.
4. To assemble, fill a tortilla with 1/2 cup of filling,1/4 cup of shredded lettuce, and 3-4 of avocado slices. Fold in ends and roll to wrap, placing seam side down. Pour 1/2 cup of moles sauce and 3 tablespoons of cheese sauce on top of each one. Sprinkle with tomato, scallion, olives, and cilantro, and garnish with a lime wedges.
Notes: You can make this dish ahead and just warm up when ready to serve.Try serving Margarita's for a drink or any other Mexican drink!
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
A very simple, easy way to make chocolate-covered strawberries...great for Valentine's Day! I found this recipe on The Kind Life Blog.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
This past weekend we went to our local dancing with the stars. I had thought about calling ahead to see what they were serving. But I didn't! Well, when they started bringing out the food, first was the salad, everything in the salad was ok for me to eat. Next was the dinner... steak, chicken one small scoop of mashed potatoes and a few green beans! Needless to say I didn't eat much. I have had this problem before when I have gone to dinners or parties. I don't want to be one of those people that the host or hostess hates to have for dinner or feel like they have to accommodate me! So I started to do a little research and I found that the blog ohsheglows that I follow, had done a post on the problem that I was having. I hope this helps anyone with this same problem.
10 Tips for Eating Out as a Vegan
One of the most requested topics in my Vegan How To series is about eating out at restaurants as
a vegan. I can totally relate to your struggles with eating out. Even to this day, I find restaurant
experiences as a vegan can be very hit or miss depending on the restaurant/chef. The good news is that more and more restaurants are becoming sensitive to dietary restrictions and allergies, opening up new options on menus for those who need them. Plus, the more demand there is for something, the more change there will be in the future. I personally look forward to the day when vegan options on a menu are the norm, rather than scarce or uncommon. Oh yes, it will happen!
a vegan. I can totally relate to your struggles with eating out. Even to this day, I find restaurant
experiences as a vegan can be very hit or miss depending on the restaurant/chef. The good news is that more and more restaurants are becoming sensitive to dietary restrictions and allergies, opening up new options on menus for those who need them. Plus, the more demand there is for something, the more change there will be in the future. I personally look forward to the day when vegan options on a menu are the norm, rather than scarce or uncommon. Oh yes, it will happen!
I’ve put together some of my tips and tricks that I’ve picked up over the past few years. I hope they’re
helpful for you. As always, I’d love to hear your own tips and experiences below!
helpful for you. As always, I’d love to hear your own tips and experiences below!
1. Happy Cow Website
Searching the Happy Cow website is probably my best tip when you are looking for a veg-friendly restaurant in your area or when traveling. You simply type in your location and a list of veg-
friendly restaurants usually pop up. I use this website almost exclusively when I travel or just looking for new options in my own area (of course, asking you on Facebook is always helpful too!). There are also reviews and ratings, so you can read what others are saying about the restaurants. Many times people will write what dish they modified to be vegan or what the chef prepared for them on the spot.
friendly restaurants usually pop up. I use this website almost exclusively when I travel or just looking for new options in my own area (of course, asking you on Facebook is always helpful too!). There are also reviews and ratings, so you can read what others are saying about the restaurants. Many times people will write what dish they modified to be vegan or what the chef prepared for them on the spot.
2. Plan ahead and look up the restaurant menu online
Of course, it’s not always possible to eat somewhere that’s veg-friendly. Whether it’s a family gathering or a friend’s birthday, I attend my fair share of non-vegan restaurants. Before I go to a new restaurant I always scope out the menu online to see if there are any obvious vegan menu items. Hopefully, I can find a couple vegetarian menu items that can be veganized, but vegan options are often non-existent on many restaurant menus. If there are a couple vegetarian options or dishes that might easily modify to be vegan (such as removing chicken from a noodle stir fry), I will make a note of them.
3. Call restaurant for options
If there aren’t any obvious meal options on the menu, I will often call the restaurant and ask whether
they can accommodate a vegan. Don’t feel like you are being a pain in the ass because restaurants actually like to get a heads up whenever possible, or so I’ve been told. I’ve never been turned away (not surprisingly), but I have received my fair share of enthusiastic promises (“Oh yes we can makeanything you want!!”) only to get there and find out that the chef thinks a small plate of vegetables qualifies as a satisfying vegan dinner. It helps to be specific about what you would like. If there is a dish you have in mind (for example, a pizza or tofu stir-fry) don’t be afraid to ask if they can make it happen!
they can accommodate a vegan. Don’t feel like you are being a pain in the ass because restaurants actually like to get a heads up whenever possible, or so I’ve been told. I’ve never been turned away (not surprisingly), but I have received my fair share of enthusiastic promises (“Oh yes we can makeanything you want!!”) only to get there and find out that the chef thinks a small plate of vegetables qualifies as a satisfying vegan dinner. It helps to be specific about what you would like. If there is a dish you have in mind (for example, a pizza or tofu stir-fry) don’t be afraid to ask if they can make it happen!
4. Ask if they have a vegetarian menu
Did you know that some restaurants have secret menus? What the heck! I discovered this only because my friend Heather told me that a local restaurant (Paradiso in Oakville) has a vegetarian menu. But guess what? They don’t even put the vegetarian menu on the table unless you ask for it. The horrors. I was so thankful that Heather told me about the menu because it has several vegetarian options and a delicious vegan option that I order every time I’m there (kinda obsessed with portobello steaks). I realize this isn’t the norm for restaurants to have separate menus, but it never hurts to ask and let them know that you’d love the option!
5. Get creative with sides
Sometimes vegetarian menu items can be made vegan quite easily by just replacing the butter for oil or
leaving off the cheese. If my options are limited I always ask if these swaps can be made. One thing I’ve done in the past is to order a few side dishes (asking them to hold the butter) to create a meal. A few sides of brown rice, beans, and veggies easily adds up to a balanced meal.
leaving off the cheese. If my options are limited I always ask if these swaps can be made. One thing I’ve done in the past is to order a few side dishes (asking them to hold the butter) to create a meal. A few sides of brown rice, beans, and veggies easily adds up to a balanced meal.
6. If you think options will be severely limited, eat beforehand
When I’ve done my research and suspect my options will be severely limited, I usually have a light meal beforehand to ensure that I don’t feel deprived at the restaurant. No big deal.
7. Seek out ethnic cuisines
Many cuisines have a lot of “naturally” vegan options or they can easily be modified. I absolutely love dining at Indian, Mexican, and Thai restaurants because they have so many options for me. Even dishes with cream can easily be made without impacting the overall flavour too much.
8. Try a fun beverage
Treat yourself to a fun non-alcoholic or alcoholic drink. Even if the food options are limited it will still feel
special to have a fun drink you normally wouldn’t have! [Side note: Barnivore is a good site for looking up vegan alcohol brands. Check out the apps too.]
special to have a fun drink you normally wouldn’t have! [Side note: Barnivore is a good site for looking up vegan alcohol brands. Check out the apps too.]
9. Comment card or online review
As I was writing this, I asked myself…do restaurants even do comment cards these days? And then I realized, well, duh, people do online reviews! Silly me. Well, whether it’s a comment card or an online review, they are great ways to let your voice be heard. Feel free to ask for more vegan options – you can bet that most restaurant owners will be reading and taking note of common requests!
10. Don’t sweat it
I generally have low expectations when it comes to dining out at restaurants that aren’t veg-friendly, so I don’t let a less than stellar experience ruffle my feathers. Instead, I focus on the experience itself – the great company – and know that in the grand scheme of things it’s really not a big deal. Cheers to that.
What have your experiences been like eating out as a vegan?
I just love the magazine VegNews, it has great recipes and ideas in it. There is a restaurant in Syracuse that I love, that I have written about in the past. It is called Alto Cinco. They have great Vegan Burritos. I have been trying to copy the recipe but just haven't been able to do it till now. Alto Cinco puts rice in there's and this recipe uses Quinoa. This is no ordinary bean-and rice combo. Instead, this behemoth is filled with garlicky pinto beans and quinoa, then toped with not one but two sauces: a cocoa infused mole and chipotle-lime cashew cheese. It was so yummy you have to try it. If you are not vegan, you still need to try the cheese, it is so good!! Even my husband Mike who is not Vegan liked it.
Ingredients:
For The Filling:
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 can pinto beans semi mashed
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
3/4 tsp Salt
For The Mole Sauce:
2 cups tomato puree or crushed tomatos
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
For The Chipolte-Lime Cheese
Sauce1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 3 hours and drained
3/4 cup plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp minced onion
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove
1/8 tsp chipotle powder
To Assemble:
6 12" flour tortillas, warmed
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
3 avocados, sliced
1 cup diced tomatos
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 fresh Lime Wedges, For Garnish
Directions:
1. For the filling, in a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in beans, quinoa, jalapeno, and salt. Reduce heat low, cover and warm for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and keep covered.
2. For the mole sauce, in a small saucepan, whisk together all ingredients, then heat on low for 5 minutes and set aside.
3. For the chipotle-lime sauce, in a high speed blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and blend for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth.
4. To assemble, fill a tortilla with 1/2 cup of filling,1/4 cup of shredded lettuce, and 3-4 of avocado slices. Fold in ends and roll to wrap, placing seam side down. Pour 1/2 cup of moles sauce and 3 tablespoons of cheese sauce on top of each one. Sprinkle with tomato, scallion, olives, and cilantro, and garnish with a lime wedges.
Notes: You can make this dish ahead and just warm up when ready to serve.Try serving Margarita's for a drink or any other Mexican drink!
A very simple, easy way to make chocolate-covered strawberries...great for Valentine's Day! I found this recipe on The Kind Life Blog.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Edamame Hummus
I am always looking for a new Hummus recipe. I love Edamame and when I saw this recipe on Oh She Glows I had to try it. So give it a try and serve it at your next get together. You will keep them guessing on what it is! Enjoy!!
Ingredients (2 heaping cups)
- 1 (500g) bag frozen organic shelled edamame (equal to 3 cups thawed/drained)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 3-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice (I used 4T)
- 1/4 cup tahini (stir well before measuring)
- 2-4 tbsp water, to thin as needed (I used 3T)
- 1/2-1 tsp fine grain sea salt, or to taste (I used 3/4 tsp)
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander seeds, optional
- 1/8th tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- To garnish: smoked paprika, freshly ground black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, edamame
Instructions
- 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 2 medium celery stalks
- 1 large onion
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary (or 2 Tbsp fresh)
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 Tbsp dried thyme (2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh)
- 4 cups coarsely chopped fresh kale leaves
- 1 cup fresh or frozen kernel corn
- 1 small unpeeled zucchini, diced
- 1 cup of shelled edamame or lima beans
- 1 14.5 can of organic white beans
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 3 cups water
- 2 cans (14.5oz each) no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup uncooked farro
- 1 can no salt added kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp sugar (I use sugar in the raw)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 /2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 oz. parmesan cheese, grated (Vegan Parmesan to make this Vegan)
- 1/2 - 1 cup of uncooked small pasta (I use - Acini Di Pepe which are small little BB's)
I was looking for a good Vegan and Gluten-free Chocolate Chip cookie recipe and after trying a few different recipes I came up with these. I found the recipe on one of my favorite blogs! Give it a try and let me know what you think. I bet you can't just eat one!
Thin, crisp, and chewy. While these aren’t your typical soft and doughy cookies, we loved them anyways. The almond flour gives them a taffy/chewy texture and it was hard to eat just one. The cookies firmed up quite a bit by the next day, so I would suggest cooking them a bit less than 12 mins (which was what I did).
Yield: 18-20 cookies
Ingredients:
- 7 tbsp Earth Balance + 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I used organic)
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar (or use white sugar)
- 1 flax egg: (1 tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp water)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup gluten-free oat flour (I processed 1 cup certified gf rolled oats into flour)
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour (add 2 tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour if you want a thicker cookie)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together the flax egg and set aside.
2. With an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, beat the Earth Balance and oil until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat for 1-2 minutes until creamy. Beat in the flax egg and vanilla extract.
3. Beat in the remaining ingredients and fold in the chocolate chips.
4.With wet fingers, shape balls of dough and place on the baking sheet. The dough will be very sticky but don’t worry! No need to flatten the balls down! Bake for about 10-11 minutes until slightly golden along edges. Allow to cool for 5-10 mins. on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack for another 10 minutes.
These are the best vegan cookies by far!
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Me, Erin and Liz
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Recently I went to visit my daughter Liz in NYC. Where we went to our favorite restaurant for a quick smoothie for lunch while we were driving to Philadelphia for a family wedding. My daughter Liz and I got the "Green Life Smootie" my other daughter Erin got the Berries-N-Cream. It was a great healthy lunch that was easy to drink while I was driving. And if you have ever driven through midtown Manhattan you know what I mean:0)
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Driving through Central Park
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So when I got home I thought that I would try to make them myself. I often am very busy and need something fast and easy. But because I try to eat Vegan I need something healthy so that I can get my greens in. If you don't like the taste of kale, spinach or other greens like collard greens. This is a wonderful way to eat them (or should I say drink them). You can't even taste them. So I am sharing with you my creations, feel free to add you own ingredients. If you are not vegan you can add greek yogurt, organic milk etc...
This is my version of the Smoothies
"The Green Life"
Handful of Kale
1/2 blueberries
1/2 banana
1/2 of pineapple
1 cup of orange juice (you may need more orange juice depending
on how thick or thin you want it).
I sometimes add some baby spinach for the exra greens.
First I use put the kale in the food processor and blend it till in is finley chopped. Then I add the pineapple, banana till it is the concistincy of baby food. Then I transfer the purée to a blender and add the orange juice to the 16 oz line on my blender or till you get the right consistency that you like. I just can't get over how good this drink is... You have to try it! Enjoy........ If you don't have a food processor try these steps in your blender it just may be a little chunkier.
Berries-N-Cream
11/2 cup of Vanilla or Plain Soy Milk (more or less depending on the consistency that you like)
1/4 cup of Strawberries
1/4 cup of Raspberries
1/4cup of Blueberries
1/2 banana
1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
Place all ingredients into the blender and blent till smooth. This is so yummy!
I got this recipe from Alicia Silverstones vegan website. I made this lasagna the other night for my husband and myself for dinner. My husband is not vegan but really liked it. It was really good I am happy to say. It gave us hot and healthy leftovers for about a week. Try to use whole wheat or brown rice lasagna noodles this will add to your fiber and whole grains. Let me know if you try it.
Whole Wheat Lasagna with Italian "Sausage" and Peppers
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6
- 1 box of whole wheat or brown rice lasagna noodles
- 1 (16-ounce) box of frozen spinach, thawed, squeeze excess water out
- 2 (26-ounce) jars of vegan marinara (Morgan used a basil marinara)
- 4 vegan Italian "sausages" cut into cubes
- 2 green bell peppers, chopped
- 2 tbsp. of olive oil
- 1 handful vegan shredded cheese (enough to sprinkle on top only)
- 1 pound(s) of extra firm tofu
- 1 Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. of nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp. of tsp sea salt
- 1 pinch of black pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp. of chopped sun dried tomatoes
- 1 cup(s) of (a few huge handfuls) chopped fresh basil
- 1 tsp. of dried oregano
Steps
- Press water out of tofu by wrapping in a clean towel, and placing a pot or pan on top for about 10-20 minutes
- Crumble the tofu in a bowl, and add lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, sea salt, black pepper, sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and dried oregano
- Using a potato masher, smash up the tofu really well until it resembles ricotta cheese in texture
- Set aside until ready to use
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water with 2 T olive oil to a boil, and cook noodles according to package (the oil will prevent the noodles from sticking together)
- Cook them for a few minutes less than suggested, so that they can finish cooking in the oven
- When noodles are done cooking, drain and rinse in cold water
- While the noodles are cooking, heat 2 T olive oil in a saute pan, and saute sausage a few minutes
- Use a potato masher to help crumble the sausage into slightly smaller pieces
- Add 2 jars of marinara sauce and 2 chopped green peppers to the pan, and let simmer about 10 minutes
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- In a rectangular pyrex glass dish, start layering your lasagna
- Start by adding a little sauce on the bottom, then 4 noodles, then sauce, spinach, tofu ricotta, 4 noodles, sauce, spinach, ricotta,4 noodles, and then end with sauce and cover the top with shredded vegan cheese (you should have 3 layers of noodles) Cover top of dish with foil, and bake for 30 minutes
- Uncover and cook an additional 10 minutes until cheese melts a little on top
- Let cool 5 minutes
I got this recipe from the TV cooking show "Good Eats" with Alton Brown. I made it last night for dinner. I substituted frozen green beans and corn than used caned diced tomato's in place of fresh because it is hard to find good fresh vegetables in the winter. I added a can of red kidney beans for added nutrients. It was so simple and was totally amazing! Enjoy....
Prep Time:40 Cook Time:45 min
Serves 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks, white part only (from approximately 3 medium leeks)
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
Kosher salt
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds (approximately 2 medium)
2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 quarts vegetable broth
4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
2 ears corn, kernels removed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Serve immediately.
